Armor unit for gunners.



J. J. SPENCE.

ARMOR UNIT FOR GUNNERS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.15.1915.

Patented'Nov. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

1 2 Fig! II'IHII INVENTOH (Z J 57267266 A TTOR/VEY J. J. SPENCE.

ARMOR UNIT FOR GUNNERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15 1915.

1 ,206,1 54;. Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

2 SHEYETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN E. SPENCE. O1 GEEENVILLE, TEXAS.

AEMOR UNIT FOR, GUNNERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. t 91%;.

Application filed November 15, 1915. Serial No. 61,491.

To all whom '56 may concern.

Be. it known that I, Jonx J. Shanon, citizen ot' the tnited States,residing at Greenville, in the county of Hunt and State ct Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Armor 1. nits forGunners. of which the following is a specilicatiou.

This invention pertains to new and useful improvements in gunners armorunits.

The object of the invention is to provide a portahle structure adaptedto he used singly or in batteries and constituting at once a protectionduring battles and warfare and a shelte' at night and other times.

Another object of the invention to provide an arinor unit involving atriangular shaped housing mounted on ground wheels and provided. with aplurality of port holes at its contracted end, and also having a bedframe which further provides a draft connection when the unit is heingtransported; together with means for sccurii'ig the housing in itsadjusted positions.

A further ohject is to pro. i-lo a unit; constructed to house severalmachine guns. rillcs or other ordnance and he men for operatin; the samein such a manner that the men will he fully protected from the enemy andthe housing so presented that projectiles will glance oil of the same;also the provision of a portahlc unit, several oi" which may heassembled to form a rampart or line. oi dcfense; and one which will hereadil l niohile.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter doscrihed that will he strong. durahlc, cllicicut and simpleand cou'iparativelv ineupeusivo to construct. also one in which theseveral. parts will stand unusual impact.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention has relation tocertain novel features of construction and operation. an example ofwhich described in the follow ing specification and illustrated in theac compan ving drawings, val

Figure l 1 :r. 1 a is a pin... Vt

tiring position. 2 is a s is a longitudinal sectional view of as shownin Fig. 1, and Fig. is a vation in transporting, position.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a housing exhibitinglongitudinally of the unit a, triangular shape in cross-section. Thehousing is constructed of sheets of ar- 101' plate forming sides 4: and5 respectively and ends 6. The ends 5 hare inturned tlan es T to whichthe sides are fastened by rivets 8 as shown. I prefer to form the sidesl and 5 of a single plate, bending the same. sharpl transversely at itscenter to torin a panel 5.) which constitutes the contracted end or apexof the housing. llithin this portion of the housing an angulartransverse reinlm'ring member 10 contiguous to the plate, is suitahlysecured and provided with a transverse row of holes 11 which reg isterwith holes 113 in the panel and allord port holes through which theharrels of the nnn-hiue guns or other ordnance may project.

'lrunuions have enlarged hascs riveted to the ends o of the housing ueathe base. or enlarged open end and engage in ground wheels 2 of heavyconstruction on which the unit may he transported. In Fig. 4 the lowerend of the side. 5 of the housing is shown curved downward and outwardat 13 so that when the gunners are kneeling in the housing and on saidside their iusleps will not hc suhjertcd to the edge of the plate. hutinstead a smooth rounded surface. will he presented and add much totheir oorn'lort. 'lransverselv within the housing a gun rest ll ismounted so as to support the guns in line with the port hole...

The ends (3 have lips 15 along their bases to which hinges ll; areriveted. The hinges are positioned on the lips so as to he attached tothe upper side of a hcd traluc l7 and permit the latter to rest on. the.ground as shown in Figs. 2 and l. /Vithin the frame a plat'l' rnr llw iscounter-sunk and rigidly attached. horizontal plate is disposed over toeframe on the hinges as shown and provides a seat or a shelf. For holdingthe housing in its tiring position asshown in all ligurcs except Fig. 5,chains 1!) are secured to cars 22 attho ends of the lips oppositcthchinges and are engaged on hooks 2i. projecting inward from the sides oithe, lranie in rear of the platform. It is olovious that the housing maybe adjusted hy engaging dillorent links oi the chains with the hooks.

In using this unit it is supposed to be drawn by some vehicle preferablya motor car and a draft coupling 23 is secured to the free end of theframe for this purpose. When the unit is transported the housing isswung up into the position shown in Fig. 5 and the housing fastened by aring When it is desired to operate the guns the unit is uncoupled andthe housing swung to the position shown for firing. While the unit isbeing transported the guns are suitably supported on the platform.

, Trailing in the rear ofa motor vehicle the unit affords a veryefiicient and practical implement of warfare. Men within the housingwith the guns and ammunition are protected from the fire of the enemy aswell as the weather and may remain in the housing for hours. One or morepeep holes 26 are provided in the side 5 through which the enemy may beobserved While rctreating and at other times. Should it be desired togive battle the unit may be uncoupled and the housing lowered to thefiring position after which with the machine guns operating through theport holes a devastating flow of bullets may be hurled at the enemywithout exposure on the part of the men in the housing. It is evidentthat the unit could be pushed quite close to the lines of the enemyeither before or after the housing is lowered and that it could beWithdrawn in firing position if necessary. Several of these units couldbe arranged as a rampart affording protection to the men while trenchesand other defences were ing built.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications, changesand alterations as properly come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A' device of the class described comprising an armored housing,ground wheels disposed at opposite sides of said housing and eccentricwith respect to the transverse axis of the latter, and a platformsupported by said housing and normally acting to balance the lattervertically of the axis of said ground Wheels.

2. A device of the class described comprising an armored housing, groundwheels disposed at opposite sides of said housing and eccentric withrespect to the'transverse axis of the latter, a platform hingedlysecured to said housing at one end, and means connecting the oppositeend of said platform with said housing whereby the same are retained innormally inoperative position.

3. A. device of the class described comprising an armored housing,ground Wheels disposed at opposite sides of said housing and eccentricwith respect to the transverse axis of the latter, a platform supportedby said housing and normally acting to balance the latter vertically ofthe axis of said ground wheels, and means for releasing one end of saidplatform, whereby the latter is lowered to ground simultaneously withthe forward tilting of said housing to operative position. v

- 4. A device of the class described comprising an armored housing,substantially triangular in cross section, said housing being providedwith port holes at its apex,

ground wheels disposed at opposite sides of said housing and eccentricwith respect to the transverse axis of the latter, a, platform supportedby said housing; and normally acting to balance the latter vertically ofthe axis of said ground wheels, and means for releasing one end of saidplatform, whereby the latter vis lowered to ground simultaneously withthe forward tilting of said housing to operative position.

In testimony whereof I al'fix my signature.

JOHN J. SPENCE.

